Bhubaneswar: A team of the Congress Krushak Cell, the farmers’ wing of Congress party, from Odisha recently met Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog Arvind Panagariya in New Delhi, and presented a 14-point memorandum over various issues affecting farmers across the nation.
The memorandum carried the signatures of Congress Krushak Cell President Amiya Patnaik and 100 other farmers representing various districts of the state.
The demands include increasing the MSP for paddy to 3000 rupees per quintal; implementing Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations on a priority basis; eatablishing a Farmers’ Welfare Board; reforms in the Land holding Act; adequate insurance on high yielding crops; interest free loan to farmers etc. among others.
“The farmers across the nation are living in a miserable condition due to the weak agricultural policies of both the Union and State governments. The suicide case among the farmers across the country is increasing at an alarming rate,” said Krushak Cell Chief Amiya Patnaik while talking to Kalinga TV.
“We therefore, appealed to the Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog to intervene in the matter and assist the governments to frame a better agricultural policy in the best interest of the farmers and agriculture in the country in general and Odisha in particular,” he added.
Ms Kalinga AI